Piloting Faith: When you are looking for what you need...

A Word for the Day...
Early in my flight training, I had to complete a cross-country flight with an instructor using all manual calculations and a paper map. I carefully calculated my fuel burn for take-off, landing and each leg of the flight and marked points on the map that I should be able to see at specific times in the flight. As James and I took off, I tracked every minute of that flight on my map.
"I should see a cell tower to my left, 11 o'clock." Check.
"I should see smokestacks to my 1 o'clock in 2 minutes..." Check.
Everything was going beautifully! Forty-five minutes into the flight, I proudly announced: "Here we are!" Then I looked out my windshield...and couldn't see the airport anywhere. I looked to my left, scanning the houses, road, fields...but no airport. I rechecked my instruments and my map. It should be here. Why couldn't I see it? My mind raced...what have I done wrong???
James sat silently until it became clear that I wasn't going to figure this one out on my own. Then, with a smile on his face, he leaned forward and said, "Look under your nose." I looked...and there was the airport, directly under the nose of my plane.
We miss important things in life when they aren't directly in our line of vision. I learned an important lesson that day. When you are looking for what you need and can't seem to find it, it's often "right under your nose."
- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Blessing for the Week
May the Fire of God consume you. May the Burning of wisdom renew you. May the Flame of Love transform you and bring new vision to your soul.
- Jan Richardson, Sacred Journeys: A Woman's Book of Daily Prayer